It's no secret that moving can be very stressful for families. The boxing, the scheduling, the organizing, the cleaning – all of the “to-do’s” can leave you with a mile-long list and not enough hours in the day to tackle everything. And on top of all of that, trying to move when you have kids can amplify your stress levels and leave your head totally and completely spinning. Not to mention, kids usually are not always thrilled with the news of the event, whether you are moving to a new state or just down the block. Knowing this, we have listed some tips and tricks below on how to try and ease some of the stresses of moving with children in hopes to help make the event as stress-free as possible for you and your family. 

The first thing a family should do is call a family meeting to explain to the children why you are moving and where you are moving to. This can be done over a fun family pizza night or casual family time in the living room. It is important to set expectations on what will be happening in the coming weeks and what you expect from them in the process. When packing, it is also super helpful to purge unwanted or outgrown clothing, as well as to donate old toys that no longer get playtime. This will help to avoid bringing clutter to your new home and can also help bring in a little money if the items can be sold. 

Another great tip is to get your children excited about the new place by making plans for their new room. Whether it be a new paint color for the walls they have always wanted, a new bedroom set or just rearranging their current furniture, you should get your children excited about this new adventure and their new surroundings. You can accomplish this by doing a site visit and allowing them to walk through their new home and visualize what everything will look like. Let their imagination run wild! Lastly, if you are moving far away from where you currently live, try hosting a “See You Soon” party for your children and their friends. This can help to ease their anxiety of moving away, allow them to take photos with their friends and spend some quality time with everyone before the big move.

We hope these tips will help ease the stress of moving with kids and have it be a more enjoyable time for everyone. Happy moving!